Considering the Impacts of Metal Depletion on the European Electricity System

Lei Xu, Zongfei Wang, Hasan Ümitcan Yilmaz, Witold-Roger Poganietz, Hongtao Ren and Ying Guo
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Lei Xu: Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlstraße 11, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
Zongfei Wang: Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), Chair of Energy Economics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hertzstraße 16, Building 06.33, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
Hasan Ümitcan Yilmaz: Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), Chair of Energy Economics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hertzstraße 16, Building 06.33, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
Witold-Roger Poganietz: Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlstraße 11, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
Hongtao Ren: School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Meilong Road 130, Shanghai 200237, China
Ying Guo: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Lushan South Road 932, Changsha 410083, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: The transformation of the European electricity system could generate unintended environment-related trade-offs, e.g., between greenhouse gas emissions and metal depletion. The question thus emerges, how to shape policy packages considering climate change, but without neglecting other environmental and resource-related impacts. In this context, this study analyzes the impacts of different settings of potential policy targets using a multi-criteria analysis in the frame of a coupled energy system and life cycle assessment model. The focus is on the interrelationship between climate change and metal depletion in the future European decarbonized electricity system in 2050, also taking into account total system expenditures of transforming the energy system. The study shows, firstly, that highly ambitious climate policy targets will not allow for any specific resource policy targets. Secondly, smoothing the trade-off is only possible to the extent of one of the policy targets, whereas, thirdly, the potential of recycling as a techno-economic option is limited.

Keywords: system expenditures; climate change; metal depletion; multi-criteria analysis; LCA; electricity system model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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